1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
Embodiments of the present invention relate to improvements for an outdoor wood-fired boiler (“OWB”) which directs pollutant filled exhaust through a catalyst-coated media. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to emission control apparatuses, methods, and systems for an OWB.
2. Description of Related Art
For centuries throughout the world, people have used outdoor wood-fired boilers for warmth. Recently, however, air pollution has rapidly become an increasing problem in both industrialized and developing nations. Combustion of fuel sources is a significant contributor of such pollution. Some nations, including the United States, have enacted environmental regulations in an effort to curb the increasing rate of air pollution.
In light of the environmental regulations as well as the general consciousness of the community, a number of devices have been made available for fuel-burning stoves which rely on the exhaust of the stove passing through a catalyst-coated media which reduces the amount of air pollutants which would otherwise be emitted (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,587). Because emission-cleansing reactions that are supported by catalysts often require a source of available oxygen, the efficiency of emission control reactions for known catalysts can thus be greatly improved by providing a source of available oxygen. While such an action sounds simple, its effective implementation is anything but. This is primarily because the emission control reactions associated with known catalysts typically take place only at relatively high temperatures. Accordingly, any source of available oxygen that is below the required reaction temperature will thus not only fail to take part in the reaction, but will also remove heat from the catalyst, thus requiring the addition of even more heat to the system simply to meet the status quo.
There is thus a present need for an apparatus for an OWB which introduces available oxygen to the exhaust flow and the catalyst-coated media at a temperature which is significantly greater than that of the ambient air, thus increasing the efficiency of the catalytic reaction process.